June Johnson

OBITS

Langford: June Johnson, 86, of Langford passed away on Saturday, June 16, 2012, at Avera McKennan Hospital in Sioux Falls.

Her funeral will be at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, June 21, 2012, at Fron Lutheran Church near Roslyn, Rev. Sara Sorensen officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery.

Visitation will be at Fiksdal Funeral Service in Webster on Wednesday 5-7 p.m. with a 7 p.m. prayer service. Visitation will continue at the church on Thursday.

June Adeline Johnson was born on Sunday, June 28, 1925, to Edwin and Anna (Nyvold) Johnson at the Peabody Hospital in Webster, S.D. She attended rural school at Liberty No. 123 for eight years where she was honored for perfect attendance all eight years. She attended Roslyn High School for two years and then her dream of being able to attend Augustana Academy in Canton, S.D., came true and she spent her last two years at this Lutheran boarding academy, where she graduated in May 1943 as Salutatorian of her class. During these two years, she sang in the Augustana Academy Choir, was editor of the school newspaper, and on the yearbook staff.

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That summer, she attended a special Teacher Training program at Northern Normal, along with some 800 women and men, who were being drafted, so-to-speak, to supply the desperate need for teachers during World War II. June began her teaching career in the fall of 1943, at the same rural school she and her brothers had attended and even became her younger brother Marlyn's teacher. During the next 25 years, June continued to work on her elementary education degree through summer and weekend extension classes, while raising her five children with her husband and teaching full-time. She graduated with her teaching degree in Aug. 1970, three months short of her eldest son's graduation from college in May.

June married John E. Johnson of Langford at Fron Lutheran Church on May 26, 1948, the anniversary day of both her parents and her grandparents, Matthias and Ingeborg Nyvold. John and June purchased their farm in Fort Township, Marshall County where they farmed until 1967. They moved to Langford where she was teaching at Langford Public School. She retired in 1990 after 40 years of teaching. John passed away on Jan. 4, 2002. After his death, she continued to live at their home in Langford with her daughter, Janet, until the present time.

She was a life-long member of Fron Lutheran Church near Roslyn where she played the organ, directed the choir and taught Sunday school. She enjoyed playing piano, singing, yodeling, doing crossword puzzles and watching movies with her children and grandchildren. Augustana Academy was a lifelong faith-building experience for her and remained an important part of her memories. Her strong love for God is a spiritual legacy left for her children and grandchildren.

She is survived by her children: Jerome (Reva) Johnson of Britton, Janet Johnson of Langford, Marya (Mac) Pier of Flushing, N.Y., Mark (Sandra) Johnson of Bayside, N.Y. and Bonnie (Rick) Dillon of St. Paul, Minn.; and nine grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, an infant grandson, Johnathan Johnson; and four brothers: Melvin, Alonzo, Floyd and Marlyn.